Cigarette wrapper box



May 21, 1963 F. JANDA 3,090,541

CIGARETTE WRAPPER BOX Filed Nov. 29, 1960 IN V EN TOR.

EmAbLQLYL 3m United States Patent 3,090,541 v CIGARETTE WRAPPER BOXFrantisek Janda, Prague, Czechoslovakia, assignor t0 Zavody VJ. LeninaPlzen, narodni podnik, Plzen, Czechoslovakia Filed Nov. 29, 1960, Ser.No. 72,513 Claims priority, application Czechoslovakia Apr. 9, 1960 2Claims. (Cl. 229-51) The present invention relates to a cigarettewrapper box. Cigarettes are usually packed in boxes or wrapperscontaining 10, or more cigarettes each, for purposes of transport andsale. Such a package of cigarettes serves 'to provide the smoker withhis required stock of cigarettes which now-a-days he carries in a lightpaper wrapper instead of the formerly used heavy, mostly metal cigarettecases. The paper wrapper complies at the same time with the requirementof maintaining the quality of the packed cigarettes and of providing ahygienic wrapper for the product enclosed therein, said wrapper servingalso for advertising purposes.

The boxes or wrappers are produced from various materials on specialpacking machines, mainly from soft paper and represent a consumerarticle for temporary use. For packing high quality brands it is commonto use cardboard or other relatively stiff materials and nowadays eventwo wrappers are commonly used, i.e. an inner and an outer protectivewrapper, each consisting of a different material.

In order to distinguish the various brands and qualities of packedcigarettes and further to satisfy the consumers preferences, as well asfor advertising purposes and with a view to future sales, the Wrappersare shaped in various ways and are provided with inscriptions andpictures.

The consumers demands and the requirements of a highly developedwrapping technique have, however, to be met by new and further shapes,arrangements and appearance of the boxes or wrappers, which are notoffered by the hitherto used wrapping methods.

The present invention aims at providing means com plying with therequirements of the wrapping technique and satisfying consumers demands.

According to the invention a cigarette wrapper or box is providedcomprising three, not connected wrapper parts, the inner part enclosingand covering directly the entire contents and being from all sides, i.e.not only at the longitudinal long walls but also at the short frontwalls, surrounded by a stifiening contour frame consist ing of a stripmade from stiffer, resilient synthetic material; said frame can beopened at the top from one corner by deflecting the front strip, and haspreferably a different color. Both these parts are enclosed in an outerprotective wrapper made of a strong, thin and transparent material,which is provided at the top with a tearing tape and a tape reinforcingthe edge of the lower portion of the outer wrapper. For purposes oftransport, distribution and against undesired opening when not in use,i.e. as long as the box is in its initial, assembled state, the upperfront wall of the stiffening frame is secured, either by a tiltabletongue or flap which can be slipped behind the lateral edge of theframe.

The accompanying drawing shows an exemplary embodiment of the wrappingbox according to the present invention.

FIG. 1 represents a perspective view of the complete box,

FIG. 2 shows the three parts of the wrapper in the sequence in whichthey follow one another,

FIG. 3 shows the upper part of the outer wrapper and "ice FIG. 4represents the box as used by the smoker after it has been opened.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2 the three parts shown are the following: Aninner wrapper 1 covering the entire content, a stiffening frame 2 and anouter wrapper 3. The inner wrapper 1 is usually made of a whollyconcealed metal foil, but may be made also of another wrapping material,such as paper and the like and is produced by folding a blank in theusual manner. The stiffening frame 2 consists of a stiff syntheticmaterial or cardboard and is made from a strip which is preheated andbent to a prestressed condition at the three points where it is bent toform the frame. The strip is pastel-colored, the shades being chosen soas to present a pleasant appearance, or can be provided with aperforation or print indicating the origin of the product.

It is the purpose of the stiffening frame to impart to the wrapper theappearance of a box and, in particular, to stiffen the latter so as toprevent its deformation when used by the smoker and when part of thecontents is taken out and to prevent the remaining contents of the boxfrom being damaged either by deformation or by tobacco falling from thecigarettes. The stiffening frame or its top front wall is provided witha tongue or flap '8 which in folded condition lies underneath the frontwall of the frame and does not come into operation until the box isused.

The top front wall of the frame can also be temporarily attached in sucha way that two notches are cut in the tongue or flap 8; by bending thematerial lying between the notches to the outside a projection isformed. Cut on the upper edge of the side wall strip, at the same level,are likewise two notches, which, by bending the material lying betweenthem, this time to the inside, form a recess corresponding to theprojection in the tongue.

The inner wrapper with the stiffening frame, prepared in the abovedescribed way, is further packed in the outer wrapper 3 made of asuitable material, such as that known under the trade name ofcellophane, said wrapper being equipped with a tearing tape 4 andadditionally, if desired, with a stiffening tape 5.

FIGS. 3 and 4 represent the box after the outer cellophane wrapper 3 hasbeen opened. FIG. 3 shows the top part of the outer wrapper, which isseparated by the smoker tearing off the upper tearing tape 4 prior tousing the box for the first time.

FIG. 4 shows the box as used by the smoker further on, i.e. the lowerpart of the outer wrapper remains on the box, the tape 5 reinforcing theedge of said lower cellophane part. This part is thus kept together bythe stiifening contour frame surrounding the inner wrapper.

The end of the tearing tape 4 is stuck to a protrusion 7 extending atthe side of the package from the outer cellophane wrapper, saidprotrusion being formed already when producing the blank from a bobbinand serving for an easier gripping of the tearing tape. The tape 4 istorn in horizontal direction away from the box, as illustrated in FIG.3. Both tapes 4 and 5 differ in color from the wrapper, in order to beconspicuous to the consumer.

The tongue or flap 8 at the front wall of the frame 2 is deflected byits resiliency when the top portion of the outer wrapper is separatedasindicated in FIG. 4. For subsequent repeated closing after cigaretteshave been taken out of the box, the tongue is slipped between the innerwrapper 1 and the frame 2.

Either the inner wrapper, or the outer cellophane wrapper, or both maybe provided with printed wording or pictures, denoting the brand andorigin of the cigarettes or other wrapped articles, as the case may be.

, 3 What I claim as my invention is: 1. A package for a batch ofcigarettes comprising in combination (a) an inner wrapper of flexiblematerial completely embracing a conventional batch ofcigarettes'assembled in prismatic shape; 1

(b) a one-piece stiffening frame folded from a strip of relatively rigidmaterial to form two side panels, a bottom panel and a top panel, saidpanels covering, respectively, the sides and the bottom and top surfaceof the inner wrapper, the end of said top panel extending to the topedge of the adjoining side panel and terminating in a tongue hingedthereto along a fold, said tongue initially lying in contact with thelower surface of said top panel but adapted to swing outwardly to aposition at right angle to said top panel;

{6) an outer wrapper of flexible material embracing said stiffeningframe with said wrapped batch of cigarettes; and

(d) a tearing tape in the outer wrapper located below but proximate tothe said top panel permitting to remove the top portion of the outerwrapper to expose said top panel for bending the same away from andagain back to the top surface of the inner wrapper to gain access and toprotect, respectively, the batch of cigarettes, and to insert theoutwardly swung tongue between said inner wrapper and said adjoiningside panel.

2. A package according to claim 1 comprising a stiffening tape on theouter wrapper extending in relation to the top panel beyond said tearingtape and parallel thereto. a

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,364,925 Molins June 28, 1932 2,338,041 King Dec. 28, 1943 2,805,018Aiken Sept. 3, 1957 2,913,165 Jacke Nov. 17, 1959

1. A PACKAGE FOR A BATCH OF CIGARETTES COMPRISING IN COMBINATION (A) ANINNER WRAPPER OF FLEXIBLE MATERIAL COMPLETELY EMBRACING A CONVENTIONALBATCH OF CIGARETTES ASSEMBLED IN PRISMATIC SHAPE; (B) A ONE-PIECESTIFFENING FRAME FOLDED FROM A STRIP OF RELATIVELY RIGID MATERIAL TOFORM TWO SIDE PANELS A BOTTOM PANEL AND A TOP PANEL, SAID PANELSCOVERING, RESPECTIVELY, THE SIDES AND THE BOTTOM AND TOP SURFACE OF THEINNER WRAPPER, THE END OF SAID TOP PANEL EXTENDING TO THE TOP EDGE OFTHE ADJOINING SIDE PANEL AND TERMINATING IN A TONGUE HINGED THERETOALONG A FOLD, SAID TONGUE INITIALLY LYING IN CONTACT WITH THE LOWERSURFACE OF SAID TOP PANEL BUT ADAPTED TO SWING OUTWARDLY TO A POSITIONAT RIGHT ANGLE TO SAID TOP PANEL; (C) AN OUTER WRAPPER OF FLEXIBLEMATERIAL EMBRACING SAID STIFFENING FRAME WITH SAID WRAPPED BATCH OFCIGARETTES; AND (D) A TEARING TAPE IN THE OUTER WRAPPER LOCATED BELOWBUT PROXIMATE TO THE SAID TOP PANEL PERMITTING TO REMOVE THE TOP PORTIONOF THE OUTER WRAPPER TO EXPOSE SAID TOP PANEL FOR BENDING THE SAME AWAYFROM AND AGAIN BACK TO THE TOP SURFACE OF THE INNER WRAPPER TO GAINACCESS AND TO PROTECT, RESPECTIVELY, THE BATCH OF CIGARETTES, AND TOINSERT THE OUTWARDLY SWUNG TONGUE BETWEEN SAID INNER WRAPPER AND SAIDADJOINING SIDE PANEL.